The Cleveland Cavaliers and Charlotte Hornets face off with different playoff aspirations - the Hornets fighting to escape play-in games while the Cavs pursue the final play-in spot.

Previous Matchups

• First meeting (opening night): Cavaliers won decisively with Sexton/Garland combining for 49 points
• Second meeting (April 15): Cavaliers maintained 7-10 point lead for 103-90 win

Cleveland Cavaliers Status

• Currently 4 games behind 10th place Washington with 14 games remaining
• Coming off wire-to-wire victory against Chicago Bulls
• Collin Sexton leading scorer in last 4 games
• Taurean Prince (25 points in last Charlotte game) out with season-ending ankle surgery

Charlotte Hornets Status

• Lost 6 of last 7 games, falling to 2 games below .500
• 3.5 games behind Boston for 6th seed
• Facing tough upcoming schedule (Boston twice, Milwaukee, Miami, Clippers, Nuggets)

Game Preview

• Both teams rank among top 15 in opponent points per game (Cavs 12th, Hornets 14th)
• Both teams in bottom third of league scoring
• Expect low-scoring defensive battle
• Watch for Cavs' defense - forced 36 turnovers in last two games

The matchup features strong defensive teams struggling offensively, setting up what should be a tight, low-scoring contest with playoff implications for both sides.

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